It seems that times are truly changing and Gen Zs may have introduced another kind of preference over having children, and that is to have pets instead. With the cost of raising babies becoming more expensive with lapse of time, Gen Zs have found it more doable to become pet parents than to take care of human babies.
In addition, the move from Gen Zs have also propelled one profession at the top spot, and that is, being a veterinarian.
A report by Indeed showed that the number one “job” in its list of Best Jobs of 2025 is a veterinarian. The study considered three factors in their rankings. These include salary, flexibility and sustained growth. Gen Zs also deserve the biggest thanks in this area since it is their love for their fur babies and their willingness to splurge on their needs that made this possible.
Based on the 2023 wage index form the U.S. Social Security Administration, veterinarians enjoy a median annual salary of $139,999 per year. This is double what the average American worker earns, which is only at $66,621.
Further, the Indeed report revealed that out of 1 million job postings in 2024, 1,065 were for veterinarians, marking a 124% increase compared to 2021.
Gen Zs actually contribute a bigger chunk of earnings for veterinarians. Between the boomers and Gen Zs, the latter was found to spend about $1,056 more on their pets each year.
A study from Lemonade, a digital insurance provider, showed that Gen Zs shell out an average of $178 on their pets every month. Millennials spend about $146, while Gen X would spend much lower at $115. The lowest in the different generational tiers are baby boomers who only shell out $90. This means that Gen Zs are willing to spend $88 more on pets compared to baby boomers on a monthly scale.
Perhaps, the underlying principle behind this is that taking care and spending on pets seem more attainable than having kids or planning to have their own homes.
A report from Pew Research Center showed the increasing number of individuals who express no intention of having kids. Scrutinizing the data from 2018, the number of young adults in the U.S. who say that it is not likely for them to have children has increased. From 37%, it jumped to 47% by 2023. Out of the respondents, 36% said that they could not afford to raise a child. On the other hand, having a pet provides them with their needed companionship and with lesser risk, albeit, it still does not compare to having a child.
In fact, a report from the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2024 showed that approximately 45.5% of U.S. household have dogs, while 32.1% have cats.
